While browsing a few news articles for tidbits about Wayside Gardens I came across this article, “Ooty’s Wayside Gardens Go to Seed”, on the front page of The Hindu, India’s national newspaper. My first thought was (foolishly) “why would we be mentioned in an Indian newspaper?”– we don’t ship to India.
It is actually a very good article about how wayside gardens in Indian urban areas are increasingly at risk from modern development, surely not a concern isolated to India. As many American urban gardeners have found, it can be very hard to maintain a respectable plot in the hustle and bustle. Also, it is getting more and more difficult to conserve historically significant gardens in booming cities where air pollution and new construction dominate.
The revelation for me, however, was that “wayside gardens” are more than just the name of a company, they are a particular kind of garden. I had just never thought about it. Dictionary.com defines “wayside” as “the side of the way” (obviously) or “roadside.” Wayside gardens are simply decorative gardens planted along the roadside. I have never noticed them locally, but I am certain that they will start to stand out a little more now that I am looking. I guess many people probably plant wayside gardens without even knowing that is what they have done. I will be more conscious of the roadsides from now on, and maybe I will eventually update this post with a picture.
If you have any experience with roadside gardening or want to share a picture of your wayside garden, please feel free to leave a comment or email me at jdurst@parkseed.com
John Durst
Wayside Gardens Voice
P.S. I thought of an example of a wayside garden, the DOT projects where they plant flowers or ornamental trees along the interstate, sometimes on hills facing traffic. In the spirit of the article, however, I understand a traditional wayside garden to be a more cozy thing, an invitation into your home, maybe even a botanical welcome mat. I guess the big cities have little time for such frivolities.